This invention relates to a block manufacturing machine with a block height gauging device for accurately gauging the height of blocks which are molded, independently of the thickness of the pallets which support the blocks.
In the manufacture of concrete building blocks, it is important for a variety of reasons that the blocks be uniform in size an density. In the subsequent laying of blocks, the height of the blocks becomes particularly important because the blocks must be laid in level courses.
In one block making machine which has been proposed, the heights of the blocks were gauged from the under surfaces of the pallets on which the blocks were supported. In such a machine, the thickness of the pallet affects the heights measured. For example, a block formed on a thick pallet will appear to have less height than a block formed on a thinner pallet.
Accordingly, efforts were made to develop apparatus for gauging the height of the block independently of pallet thicknesses. One such machine includes apparatus for measuring the block height by gauging the distance from the top of the pallet while the mold is being vibrated. In this machine the vibration introduces another variable which affects the heights gauged into the system and negates some of the advantage resulting from gauging the block height independently of the pallet. Accordingly, it is an important concept of the present invention to provide a block-engaging apparatus which gauges the heights of the blocks formed by measuring the distance from the top of each block supporting pallet to the tops of the blocks thereon at a time when the blocks are not being vibrated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a machine with block height gauging apparatus, which is vertically movable to a level dependent upon the height of the pallet.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a machine with block height gauging apparatus which will engage the top of the pallet, and which includes a sensor that is vertically movable to engage the top of the block so that either over-sized or under-sized blocks may be gauged.
A further object of the present invention is to provide apparatus responsive to the block height gauging apparatus for controlling the height of subsequently formed blocks.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention wil become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art as the description thereof proceeds.